


Can I Crash On Your Couch?

by Fafsernir



Series: Torchwood Prompts [22]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drunk Jack, Humor, Ianto's sweet, M/M, and making fun of Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-13 07:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7968424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fafsernir/pseuds/Fafsernir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The stairs seemed to be going on forever. The door-handle was too cold under his hand, and as he fumbled his pocket, Jack swore. Of course he would have forgotten his damn keys. Now what?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! A quick note (to repeat myself from other works but anyway) just to say that if you guys have any suggestion to write, I'm up for anything! I'm also here if you want to translate an English work into French (or want to read something that's in French), I would do it with great pleasure! (My studies are asking me to translate, you'd be doing me a service, believe me)
> 
> Prompt Idea "It’s like 3AM and my roommate locked me out of the house and I forgot my keys and I’m really drunk pls take pity on me and let me crash at your place for the night o’ neighbor of mine AU" (I totally took advantages of this story being an AU to make Jack the drunk one! It was very funny & pleasant to write!)

The stairs seemed to be going on forever. The door-handle was too cold under his hand, and as he fumbled his pocket, Jack swore. Of course he would have forgotten his keys. And of course Owen would have locked the door for the night. He grumbled to himself and put his left arm against the door, almost resting his head on it, to try and read the hour on his watch. He really couldn't see straight and laughed when he thought his sight wasn't the only non-straight thing about him. That was a good one, he should write it down and say it to Owen the next day.

Of course, when he turned his back on the door, his head bumping into it, he had already forgotten about it. He let himself slide against the frame and took his face in his hands, laughing at a joke he was sure had been hilarious even though he couldn't recall it.

God, he really was pissed.

He tried to stand up again, then gave up, and crawled to the door next to his, sighing all the way to the flat. He felt light headed when he stopped sighing, realising it had been a bad idea to do this, and almost threw up. When he finally arrived, he let his head bang against the door and grunted.

He managed to put a hand up on the door and after a while, knocked. Once. And it hurt his fingers. He winced and put his index in his mouth, hoping it would ease the pain. He managed to turn and rest his back against the door, not even thinking about moving away when he heard it being unlocked. The door opened, and Jack fell backwards, only saved by a leg on his back.

“What the hell...”

“Heeyy,” Jack chuckled, his finger still in his mouth. “Hello there... Ianto, I'm hurt. Gimme a magic kiss?”

Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes, looking down at Jack who was staring at him with a silly smile.

“What are you doing here?”

“I... miiissed you.”

“We talk every week or so. For the past two years.”

“Yeaaah... And that's not enough...”

“Where are you keys? I'm going to help you get home.”

“Forgot. Owen locked the door,” Jack pouted, and he heard Ianto sigh and could tell he had rolled his eyes again, though he couldn't see him any more.

He crouched behind him and tucked his arms under Jack's.

“Come in, then, I can't let you sleep in the corridor,” he said as he gently dragged Jack when he understood he wouldn't be able to help him up and walk.

“Why are you awake?” Jack asked after being amazed by the door which closed by itself and kept getting farther and farther – because Ianto was dragging him, maybe.

“Couldn't sleep. I heard you walk up the stairs. And against my door, though it wouldn't have awakened anyone. You should be glad I was awake.”

“I'm glad you're here,” Jack said, closing his eyes.

“Are you going to throw up?”

“No,” he hiccoughed. “Maybe...”

Ianto sighed and stopped when he arrived at his bathroom. He put Jack against the tub and took a towel, wetting it with a pout. He had just dried it, it was such a shame. Jack watched him do with a small smile that turned into a groan when Ianto put the towel on his forehead.

“If you feel anything coming up, please don't do this on my floor.” Jack nodded and the movement made him want to puke, but he swallowed. “That was disgusting. Seriously, just throw up, don't do this.”

Jack smiled weakly and Ianto got out of the room, saying he'd be back soon. Jack sighed once alone, but it made him feel ill again and this time he threw up. He panted and flushed the toilet once he was done, resting his back against the tub again. He put his hand on the wet towel and groaned, his head aching.

“You okay in there?” A voice asked from outside the bathroom and Jack grunted to inform him he was okay. Ianto walked in and sighed. He crouched beside Jack and took the towel to clean his chin then threw it away. As he put his hands on the first button of Jack's shirt, Jack chuckled.

“Are you taking advantages?”

“God, you stink. No I'm not, just keep quiet. And seriously, shut your mouth.”

Jack giggled and kept a silly smile as Ianto unbuttoned his shirt. He stared at him and licked his lips a few times, Ianto not looking at him. He had to hug him to take his shirt off and rolled his eyes when he put Jack back against the tub.

“Jack, don't.”

“What?” Jack chuckled again. “I can't help it, you're handsome, and you are undressing me, what do you want me to do?”

“Not have a hard-on?”

“Oops,” Jack smiled. “Too late.”

Ianto sighed and helped Jack on his feet, mumbling a 'whatever' as Jack laughed again. He opened the tap and cleaned Jack's face again, trying to steady him at the same time. He then took his toothpaste and put it in Jack's hands.

“You can do that by yourself, can't you?”

“Whyyy? Wanna kiss me?”

“Because you really do stink, and I won't carry you if you smell like this.”

“Oh,” Jack smiled.

“So, can you?”

“Don't think so.”

Ianto rolled his eyes, again, and opened the toothpaste to put some on Jack's finger.

“Hey! Disgusting...” Jack said but Ianto ignored him and moved behind Jack. “Why couldn't you sleep by the way?”

Ianto froze for a second then snapped back to reality. He put an arm around Jack's waist so he wouldn't fall backwards and with his other hand raised Jack's arm to his mouth. He wasn't going to put his own fingers in Jack's mouth.

Jack opened, and Ianto was grateful he didn't fight or questioned him. He brushed his teeth in silence.

“Just... over thinking,” he said after a while to answer Jack's question and his inquisitive look.

“Wue?” Jack asked, actually wanting to say why, but that was hard with a finger in the mouth, and he almost bit his finger by talking.

Ianto shook his head but Jack could see him smile in the mirror. He turned to him and raised an eyebrow, though the movement awoke his headache. Ianto moved his hand away and forced his head down the sink, opening the tap. He helped him rinsed his mouth and Jack let him do so.

“Okay, ready?”

Jack nodded as he spat water. Ianto slowly helped him stand straight and washed both their hands. He then helped him walk – he could walk now – to his bedroom and made him sit on his bed. He took his shoes and socks off and Jack fell backwards, humming as Ianto chuckled. He then opened his wardrobe and Jack closed his eyes as he rolled on his stomach, breathing Ianto's odour in his pillow. That man smelt so good...

When Ianto turned to him with a pair of pajamas, Jack was asleep. Ianto sighed again and rolled him on his back to at least remove his belt, knowing it was never good to sleep with a belt on.

* * *

When Jack woke up, he noticed he didn't know the surroundings. Then his head was aching way too much for him to think anything else and he closed his eyes again. Going back to sleep seemed like a good idea. Even if he was in an unknown house. It couldn't be bad, right?

The smell of coffee didn't let him go back to sleep. Coffee. That was what he needed. He lazily got on his feet, somehow, and walked slowly toward the coffee, his hand on the wall. He knew that corridor. It actually looked a lot like his, but with the wrong colour.

“Wow, easy there! You should have called,” a voice said as hands steadied him, and Jack could have recognized this voice amongst hundreds. God, he loved that voice, that Welsh accent... What the hell was he doing at Ianto's?

“Mmh... What happened?”

“You almost passed out on my door. I helped you.”

“And?”

“And we had sex, it was almost great.”

Jack threw him a look of horror.

“Don't look so disgusted and... Is that disappointment?”

“I can't even remember this?” Jack asked, not able to hide that he was, indeed, disappointed.

Ianto laughed, unable to hold back.

“I was kidding, you passed out on my bed before I could even help you out of your trousers. To sleep. And you did almost throw up on my floor.”

“Oh... Sorry,” Jack whispered as the headache came back, more violent than before.

“I made you breakfast, if you feel like eating. And I have painkillers.”

Jack nodded his thanks and sat with the help of Ianto. They ate together in silence and Jack watched Ianto closely. He wore a short and a tee-shirt, both Jack had never seen on him, and he looked like he had just taken a shower as he still had wet messy hair. Jack wanted to run his hand through it, but he pushed the thought away. Jack noticed he had one headphone in his ear and moved in a cute discreet way with the music Jack couldn't hear.

“You sure are hungry in the morning,” Jack said to prevent himself from staring for too long at Ianto's lips. But he had to when Ianto smiled.

“I was out for a run, always makes me hungry.”

“You ran? This morning?”

“Yeah, it's quiet and peaceful, I like it.”

“You left a stranger in your flat?”

“You're not quite a stranger, are you? And I know where you live. Plus, you're in no state of robbing me.”

Jack shrugged and sipped his coffee, moaning at the pleasant taste and burn in his throat. It woke him up completely and he looked at Ianto who had stopped, his hand in mid-air.

“What?” he innocently asked.

Ianto shook his head and moved again, resting his head on his hand as he was trying not to stare at Jack eating.

The painkillers slowly worked their magic and Jack stood up after a while, Ianto following him. He disappeared in the bedroom and came back with Jack's shoes. Jack put them on as Ianto disappeared again and got back with a carefully folded shirt in his hands. When Jack got on his feet again, Ianto flinched but didn't step back, even though they were pretty close. He stared at him for a while, then gave him his shirt with a smile.

“There you go.”

“Did you... wash it?”

“Um... Yeah.”

“Did you even sleep?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

“Wait, you slept on the couch?”

“Yup, I didn't want to wake you up. But I don't mind really. I had already slept before you came.”

Jack stared at him, knowing he was lying. Did he even sleep at all at night? Was he okay? Jack had never asked, but he was always smiling and being polite, he sure was okay, right?

“Thank you,” he said with all the honesty he could.

Ianto just shrugged and smiled. “No problem. Just don't forget your keys next time maybe,” he chuckled and Jack could almost feel his breath on his face, because none of them had moved.

Jack opened his mouth to retort something, or maybe just to kiss him, because he was dying to do that for months now, but he closed it again. After staring at each other for a while, Jack took a deep uneven breath as Ianto looked away and pursed his lips.

“Right. I better go. Thanks again,” Jack whispered and left quickly, taking a deep breath when he closed the door, almost disappointed that Ianto hadn't made a move.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Ianto raised his knee against the door to help him steady the groceries bags he was carrying. His arm protested at the position and weight put on it, but he ignored the pain and searched for his keys instead. He swore under his breath when he understood they were in his other pocket and tried to pass his arm between the bags and himself. It didn't work and he felt one of the bags falling. Instead of letting it do so, he tried to catch it on his fall, only to make another bag fall. And his arm protested again at the movement.

“Fuck!” he said aloud this time, pain and frustration washing over his civility. He sighed to calm himself and took his keys and the few groceries that hadn't fallen.

“Need help with this?” A voice said from behind, and Ianto jumped because he hadn't expected anyone to be here, certainly not Jack of all people.

He turned, forgetting about the bags still on his knee and arm, and closed his eyes at the impact to the ground. Jack chuckled.

“I'm... Oh fuck this, yes help would be nice.”

“Someone's in a grumpy mood,” Jack joked as he walked up the last few stairs and crouched to pick up the groceries and put them randomly on the bags. Ianto was inwardly screaming because everything would never fit if Jack wasn't even trying to save some place, but they were right in front his flat, no need to get angry for this. And it was Jack. He didn't want to scare him off like this.

“Long day,” he simply answered, and opened the door, then helped Jack on the ground. Except that Jack didn't want his help and snapped his valid hand away.

“I've got this,” he smiled and Ianto sighed, taking at least the poor eggs that must have died by now.

He got up and held the door for Jack, then hurried so he would lead him to his kitchen and tell him where to put down the bags. The man was careful and smiled, almost proudly, when everything was in the flat.

“There, it wasn't very complicated. Where do you put this?” he asked, pointing a bag of rice.

“I can do this by myself, thanks. And always put the fresh food in the fridge first,” Ianto said and if it sounded like a reproach, he was smiling.

“I'm not letting you do everything by yourself. You're injured,” Jack said as if it were the ultimate argument. Ianto considered refusing, but he liked seeing him so he shrugged. Jack smiled broadly. “How did you do that anyway?”

Ianto looked down at his wrist splint and sighed. He took some painkillers he had left on the kitchen's table as he had totally awakened the pain with his clumsiness, and started helping Jack despite his protests. “I helped my sister move out,” he replied. At Jack's confused look, he added, “Small staircase, we could only be two and her husband has sweaty hands. He slipped, let go a bit. We were carrying the bed, I let go one hand, not the other, and it basically violently met the wall in a weird angle.”

Jack winced at the mental image. “Yikes. Sorry.”

“At least I avoided the moving in part,” he shrugged as he opened the fridge that had closed by itself. He briefly looked at the clock and turned to Jack who was taking every fresh food out to store them in the fridge, but froze when he saw Ianto staring at him.

“What?”

“What are you doing here on a Saturday night?”

“Ugh... Going home?”

“No, I mean, so early,” Ianto explained, then looked away because it probably was none of his goddamn business.

“Spying on me?” Jack joked, and Ianto only shrugged because it was half the truth. He just heard him every time he got home late on weekends. “And to answer you, I was having a bad evening, I cut it short.”

“Nobody wanted to dance with you?” Ianto smiled as he was starting to put groceries in the fridge again. He turned when he heard Jack sigh.

“I was on a date.”

Ianto tried very hard not to show surprise or disappointment. “Oh,” he eventually said. Too bad for not showing disappointment. “How did it go?” He asked lightly, even if he was dreading the answer. He had been attracted to his neighbour for a while now, especially since he had taken care of him one time when he was too drunk and had forgotten his keys, as they talked a bit more since then. Hell, he couldn't sleep at night because of him. He wanted to be with him so badly, but it felt different from the other time. Not 'oh he's the one' different, Ianto wasn't even sure he believed in that, but more like he had felt physical attraction first. And mainly. Maybe it was a bit romantic attraction by now, but it was mostly a need to touch him, to feel his skin against his, to kiss that smile which was killing him every time...

“Bad, considering I'm here so early,” Jack smiled, and Ianto prevented his mind from wandering further in the idea of Jack and him. He didn't seem very sad about not going anywhere with his date, but he also seemed preoccupied with something else.

“How come?” Ianto's curiosity was maybe bad, but he couldn't help it. Maybe he could learn from others' mistakes. Not that he wanted to take Jack out on a date. Well, maybe he did. It was confusing.

Jack opened his mouth, hesitating. Which was weird, because he always seemed so sure of him and confident in what he was doing and saying. He eventually resumed putting the groceries in the cupboards. “I wasn't really in it,” he said, and Ianto frowned. He must have made a confused noise because Jack looked at him with amusement. He took the flour from the bag and put it beside the sugar. “I was thinking.”

“Don't we all?” Ianto joked, because Jack felt awkward suddenly.

The man relaxed and smiled. “You'd be surprised how some don't spend that much time thinking,” he smartly replied and Ianto chuckled. “But I was distracted. The guy wasn't that interesting, always talking about himself and clearly lying, and I kept thinking about... someone else,” Jack said, staring at the wall. “Anyway,” he added in a breath and put an empty bag aside.

Ianto stood stupidly in front of the closed fridge, not moving. Someone else? What did it mean? Well, clearly that Jack was interested in someone, but who was it? Did Ianto know him? Or her, he never knew with him. But Jack was into that person, and Ianto felt his heart stopped in his chest. It hurt. He had forgotten about how painful it was to hear someone you liked talking about having feelings for someone else.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked after a while, and Ianto turned, nodding with what he hoped was a smile but probably wasn't at all. “Is it your wrist? Do you need to sit down?” He insisted, and Ianto closed briefly his eyes to keep his composure on. His eyes snapped opened when Jack touched him. He just put his hand on his right shoulder, but it was already too much for Ianto. His heart pounded faster and he flinched away from the touch which was burning his skin through the fabric of his shirt. “Ianto?” Jack asked, now really concerned.

“I'm fine,” Ianto lied, taking a step away from Jack who seemed to swallow back what he was going to say. “The painkillers will start to work soon.” _If only_ , he added in his mind.

“Okay,” Jack said. “Ask if you need anything. And what about you? If it's too early for me to go home in a Saturday night, it's way too late for you to go shopping.”

“I couldn't sleep,” Ianto offered.

“Maybe because it's still quite early?”

“Well, I have some sleep to catch up with,” he shrugged.

“I meant to ask you sooner, but never found a moment... Are you okay, Ianto?”

Ianto froze. Was it some kind of a joke? He chose to ignore the fact that no, he wasn't fine, because Jack was into someone while he was into Jack, and nodded. “Just over thinking,” he answered, feeling like he had already had this conversation.

“So you think too much too,” Jack sighed. “What seems to be the problem?”

“I was thinking about... someone,” Ianto said, much like Jack had told him only a few minutes earlier. Except that he looked right in Jack's eyes. _About you,_ was what he tried to say in silence. They stared at each other for a while, and Ianto noticed that Jack slightly tilted his head, and they were close enough to kiss if one leaned over the table separating them. Just as Ianto thought this, Jack looked down at the table in question, and the moment broke. Ianto looked away and took the cookies he had bought, but he could have sworn they were closer than they had been a second before.

“Do I know her?” Jack asked, taking the last groceries from the table.

“Him,” Ianto responded automatically, then cursed inwardly.

“I didn't know you were... I mean I hoped, but... I mean, it's great to know your neighbour likes you... IS like you...”

“Jack, you're rambling.”

“Am I?” Jack nervously laughed, and Ianto found that cute. Awkward, because it was Jack, but still cute. “I didn't mean to say you're... Well, you get my point. Sorry if I offended you.”

“You didn't,” Ianto smiled. “Thanks for helping me with all of this, by the way.”

They stared at each other again, and if it lasted more than a couple of seconds, Ianto didn't notice, too busy noticing just how blue Jack's eyes actually were.

“I'll let you sleep, then. You look like you need it. Don't hesitate if you need anything, you know where I live. In case you forgot, it's the door right in front of yours,” Jack said, breaking the moment again. Not that Ianto complained about it aloud. He nodded and walked with Jack to his door, where they awkwardly stood for a while. Why was everything suddenly so awkward with Jack when the day before their conversations were full of innuendos and jokes and light discussions Ianto always liked? Now they were staring at the wall, trying to find something to say, and they were still so damned close that Ianto wondered where all his self-control came from. It was impressive. And it busied his mind to think about this rather than Jack. Than Jack looking at him. Than Jack standing in front of him, just a few centimetres away. Than Jack looking bloody gorgeous in his shirt and braces...

Then he was looking at Jack, and thinking about him, and it was killing him. He wanted to kiss him so badly but he didn't know how to do it, how to react if Jack pushed him away, _if_ Jack would push him away... He fought the urge by doing the worst thing he could possibly do, and looked away. Looked away, at his lips. Jack licked his lower lip, then pursed them, and Ianto felt his heart pounding painfully in his chest again. He managed to look up again and found the blue eyes looking at his lips as well, until they were staring at him again.

Jack moved his hand up, and Ianto did what he shouldn't have, _again_. He broke the contact to look at the hand. It stopped, mid-air, and Jack clenched it in a fist.

“My coat!” he exclaimed, and Ianto almost jumped at the sudden voice.

“What?”

“I left it in the kitchen,” Jack breathed out.

“Oh. Right... ugh... I'll get it.”

Ianto took advantages of this and disappeared in the kitchen, sighing heavily when he thought Jack couldn't hear him. He took the coat on one of the chairs and took a deep breath, which was yet another bad move. Jack's smell overwhelmed him instantly and he cursed the man from having an aftershave that smelt so good and made him want to kiss his neck to breathe it properly. He shook his head, ordering his brain to stop having disturbing thoughts like this, and got back to Jack who was quietly waiting. He took his coat, but didn't put it on – which would have been pretty dumb considering he lived literally two meters away – and smiled.

“Well I guess that's my cue then,” he said. “Don't forget, I'm right there,” he added, pointing at the door.

“Want a drink?” Ianto said in one breath.

“What?”

The young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to get his shit together.

“Do you want to stay for a drink?” He finally said and Jack laughed.

“Why not. Is this a date, though? Because I have to warn you, the last one didn't end so well and--” the rest of his sentence died as Ianto grabbed his collar with his right hand and brought him close. He hadn't really meant to do that – maybe he had, okay – but he couldn't take it anymore and he needed to make Jack understand that the reason he couldn't sleep for months now was him. His smile, his innuendos, his eyes, his lips, his hands, his coat, his braces, God even his hair was preventing Ianto from sleeping.

Their lips crashed together, and if it was uncomfortable at first, Jack then responded, faster than Ianto would have thought, and the kiss became enjoyable. Jack brought his hands on his cheeks, then his hair, behind his ears, his neck, the line where hair met skin, his shoulders, his upper arms and back... His skin was burning, his heart was probably out of his chest, but it felt so good, he felt so alive, and it had been worth the waiting. When he brought his own left hand up, to touch Jack just like Jack was touching him, he hissed at the pain and broke the kiss. He kept his eyes close, his right hand in Jack's hair and his left on his shoulder, and didn't dare to move, afraid the moment would stop. And he knew it would.

“I was going somewhere and I'm sure it was a good joke, but I forgot about it,” Jack eventually said as he saw Ianto frowning. Ianto opened his eyes, surprised by how close Jack still was. It was so tempting to reach out and kiss him again... Jack was the one to lean on again, kissing him chastely. “I think you promised a drink?”

He stared at him for a few seconds then stepped back, trying not to whimper at the loss of contact. He liked having Jack's hands in his hair. He smoothed his shirt with a serious expression. “I didn't promise anything,” he said, and smiled when Jack pouted. “Okay, come in,” he eventually said, walking to his living room.

Ianto stopped when fingers brushed his left hand, but closed on his upper arm. “Wait.” Jack's voice stopped him too, and for a second he was afraid of what Jack would say. He turned around slowly only to feel lips on his again. “I want more of this,” Jack whispered once they parted after a long but calm kiss. Ianto's only response was to nod in agreement.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the first chapter some time ago and it wasn't supposed to have a second chapter, but I must admit it was very frustrating... As you asked for more... Well, there it is, that goddamn kiss!
> 
> Many, many thanks to Gmariam who totally gave me the whole idea for this second chapter (like, really, she gave me the precise idea and I just had to write some words and tadaa) and if you've never read her stories, then go read them because they're always so perfect and very in-character :D
> 
> Thank you for your comments, again! It was funny to write this!


End file.
